The Centre for Medical Humanities
The Institute for Advanced Studies
and Wolfson Research Institute for Health and Wellbeing
Durham University
invite you to join

THE LANTERN PARADEA Conversation

16-17 January 2014

Wolfson Research Institute for Health and WellbeingQueen’s Campus, Stockton-on-Tees

The lantern parade is an occasion to view a community in another light. Sometimes it is a one-off event, but in many cases it becomes an annual celebration that generates narratives and traditions, leading to wider programmes of work that connect arts, health education and community development. Lantern imagery provokes wonder and engagement in community arts worldwide, and offers opportunities to explore the impact of participatory arts on community health and individual well-being.

We want the phenomenon of community lantern parades to be better theorised in an inter-disciplinary context that will support future collaborations, so our purpose in this two-day conversation is to engender opportunities for academics, community participants and arts and health practitioners to meet and work up outlines for further work and research. We hope you will join us in a congenial exploration of the meaning, value and purpose of lantern-making.

Our focussed conversation will be guided through three phases: ‘Framework’ (How do lantern parades evolve?), ‘Covering’ (How might we apply appropriate research methodologies?), and ‘Illumination’ (What might research discover that adds value to these events?). We will begin and end at lunchtime, and enliven our talk further with an informal dinner and a practical session.

This event will contribute to the Institute for Advanced Studies 2014 theme of ‘Light’.

Wow .. what a great conversation to be had……. I’m in Australia and would love to somehow engage in this conversation or be able to hear some of it.

I have been making lantern parades in community’s for 18 years and am currently working on a community recovery project with a bush fire affected community ….. our 3rd lantern parade in 3 years, occurs on Sunday Sept 15th…….

Wow! Thank you for hosting this conversation! You are setting an important precedent for community lantern parade producers everywhere – that participatory arts should be viewed in terms of community health and individual well-being. I produce community lantern parades in Atlanta and the southeast. I am tempted to book a flight and crash your conference. Please publish every little thing, and thank you again for your work.

Wow! I add to the gratitude. I have often said I contribute my desire to make large art to all the lanterns I have been inspired by over the years. Its funny I left Atlanta 12 years ago for Vancouver Canada because of the secret lantern society in Vancouver.Some of my fondest moments as an artist have either been at an luminaires festival in Vancouver or at Burningman. AS a result of my love for luminaries my sculpture for my 15th year at Burningman will be a large lantern. So please share as much knowledge and maybe even skype or video the conference so that those of us making art around the world can carry the light of further insight with our lanterns through our community.
PS Thank you for doing what you are doing in Atlanta, Chantelle………..